Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Iftikhar Chaudary – Head-On Collision?

Posted on: August 21, 2008 12:44 am Written by: Leave a Comment print for hard copyEmail This Post

Nawaz-Sharif-Asif-Zardari-and-Iftikhar-ChaudaryAre they going to have a head-on collision. It seems so. Let us see what are their problems and how possibly they are going to tackle. Nawaz Sharif During the previous elections Nawaz Sharif had made very inflamed speeches against Pervez Musharraf. One of the issues he raised against Pervez Musharraf was removal of Iftikhar Chaudary then the chief justice of Pakistan supreme court.

Nawaz Sharif and other politicians including PPP they did not have and still don’t have any action plan for the development of the country so they look for such things on which they can create a sort of agitation and gather the people and get votes. All these politicians use the same strategy. Basically they highlight an issue and present themselves as a solution. Nawaz Sharif promised in a big way that if PML-N came to power they will re-instate Iftikhar Chaudary along with other judges. After showing his first success of removing the president then came the second thing to re-instate the judges which seems now a stumbling block. Nawaz Sharif wants to bring back Iftikhar Chaudary to achieve his own motives namely to get himself entitled to participate in the elections, and get decisions against Pervez Musharraf in future cases which may be brought in the supreme court later. This is to pacify his revenge. Asif Zardari Asif Zardari as such was not very interested in removing the president but when he saw the wind direction he joined the mob. Now comes the re-reinstatement of judges. Like any other Pakistani politician he looked for his personal benefit first.

Though he was not very enthusiastic but he did not mind to join others to become champion of democracy. Zardari particularly did not want Iftikhar Chaudary to come back. He believes Iftikhar Chaudary is responsible for his extended stay in jail. Since Zardari has a enmity with Chaudary so he believes Iftikhar Chaudary may give a decision to void the NRO against which it became possible for Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif and others to participate in the politics. Zardari is not worried about Sharif or others but he is worried about himself. That is why you had heard before re-reinstatement of judges minus one or minus two etc. Now it seems Zardari has stuck. Nawaz Sharif wants to bring Iftikhar Chaudary back for his own purposes and Zardari don’t want him because of his own concerns.

Iftikhar Chaudary – The Man in the Dispute After getting out of the supreme court Iftikhar Chaudary participated very actively in anti-Musharraf rallies, political processions practically everything where he could blast against Musharraf. So he became a symbol of anti-Musharraf movement. When political parties saw this opportunity then Nawaz Sharif being the best opportunist grabbed the opportunity and joined them. Sharif got best of the both worlds, person who is anti-Musharraf and he can gather big mobs. Iftikhar Chaudary looked more like a politician then a displaced supreme court judge. Other supreme court judges like Khalil Ramday, Bhagwan Das and may be others associated themselves with different political views. So now politicians support the judges according to their mind affiliations and their political views. What is Next? Any solution to this pollution? Zardari needs Nawaz Sharif to keep his PPP in the government. On the other hand Nawaz Sharif has an upper hand at present. Zardari may lose the government, Sharif will not lose anything. In fact it will give boost to the popularity of Sharif. Zardari may seek support of other parties to stay in power against some other deals.

This is the first issue they have faced and the cracks started appearing. There would definitely be more. Still both coalition partners are not agreed what procedure will be adapted to re-instate the judges, if they are going to re-instate. A couple of possibilities. They may cut a deal with Iftikhar Chaudary that he will not give a verdict against Asif Zardari and not participate in the cancellation of NRO if it comes in the court. Iftikhar Chaudary may go back to his previous position but after a specified period he will be retired or he would resign.

Obviously these types of deals will not be made public so it is your imagination what you can think about other possibilities. Are we heading towards fresh elections? May be too early to say but definitely we are heading with a faster speed towards head-on collisions. This is the first one. More to come.

Filed Under: Asif Ali Zardari, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, Nawaz Sharif Tagged: , , , , , ,

America or Any Other Country Should Not Interfer in Pakistan’s Affairs – Nawaz Sharif

Posted on: August 17, 2008 5:16 am Written by: Leave a Comment print for hard copyEmail This Post

America-or-Any-Other-Country-Should-Not-Interfer-in-Pakistan’s-Affairs

Democracy Don’t Take Instructions From Anybody It Tells Them What To Do Asif Ali Zardari, Co-Chairman of PPP.

This is what Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) and Asif Ali Zardari (PPP) said.

Well, I have a couple of questions for both of them.

When Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were lobbying in the US and the UK to get back into Pakistani politics what you call that activity. That was not inviting foreign countries to interfere in Pakistan’s affairs.

When America was involved in drafting NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) that was not interference in Pakistani matters.

When Nawaz Sharif approached Saudi King Shaikh Abdullah to get out of the jail that was not interference in Pakistani legal system.

We did not know earlier but now we learned that Britain was also involved in NRO activities. Was this not the result of success of lobbying done by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in the UK.

When Zardari and Nawaz Sharif made trips to Saudi Arabia to seek their help to displace Pervez Musharraf. What you would call this?

When you approached US administration through Saudi Arabia to seek the trust of US government. What you would call this?

Did money change hands in all these lobbying activities. Or the lobbyist in the US and UK were doing all this work just for God sake (fe sabililah).

Recently, Mr. Muqran, Chief of Saudi Intelligence Agency visited Pakistan and met with you, did he come to make a program with you to pray together in Mecca?

Don’t tell us you have not been inviting and involving foreign governments and persons for your malicious motives and personal benefits.

What a joke. Anything said and done by Zardari and Sharif is according to democracy everything else is dictatorship.

Filed Under: Barrack Obama, Current Affairs, Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan Tagged: , , , ,

Re-Appoinment of Sind High Court Judges

Posted on: August 8, 2008 1:56 am Written by: Leave a Comment print for hard copyEmail This Post


Re-Appointment-of-Sindh-High-Court-Judges

Newspapers and TV channels reported in the last couple of days about the reinstatement of eight Sindh High Court judges as a "surprise move by President Pervez Musharraf".

This initiative was not taken by the president.

The PPP took the initiative and Prime Minister after consultations with Law Ministry sent the summary to President to approve. President approved and sent the approval back to Prime Minister for implementation. These judges were going to take a new oath. The government issued the appropriate notification which was later withheld because Nawaz Sharif got angry that he was not consulted.

On Tuesday, the discussions which were going on between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari at Zardari House were interrupted because Nawaz Sharif got angry and walked out, according to news. Later these discussion were moved to Punjab House and then to Prime Minister House when PPP agreed to defer the implementation of this decision till all the judges are reinstated.

The point to note is that according to the Constitution president does not have any authority to reject the recommendations of the prime minister. So President just followed the constitution. So this was not any maneuver of Pervez Musharraf. This was just another mismanagement of PPP government.

Filed Under: Pakistan Supreme Court Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s Visit to America

Posted on: July 26, 2008 9:51 am Written by: Leave a Comment print for hard copyEmail This Post


Prime-Minister-Yousaf-Raza-Gilani’s-Visit-to-America

Why he is going there?
What he is going to get there?

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is going to the US
to seek political support. During this visit, the US Administration is going to
deliver some key policy messages to him.

America’s main concern is inability of Pakistan’s government
to curtail terrorist activities in the border areas with Afghanistan and
Taliban’s use of tribal areas as safe heaven.

While Pervez Musharaf’s policies were very clear on this
issue, the new government has not been able to devise a coherent policy to deal
with this issue. Americans are going to tell Mr. Gilani about their dissatisfaction in stern words. In fact, they have already told Pakistan on many occasions.

Pakistani diplomatic sources are saying that Americans have
told them that Pervez Musharraf issue will not be discussed. Pakistanis are giving
the impression, as if America is going to unload Musharraf. I believe these types of statements are for local consumption. My interpretation is that America is fed up with Sharif and Zardari’s anti-Musharraf politics. America is going to
tell Zardari and Sharif that America means business.

Pakistan government has been lobbying for some time to
persuade Washington to drop its support for Musharraf. Mr. Hussain Haqani has been instrumental in these efforts since his only credentials for being Pakistan’s Ambassador in the US are that he is staunch anti-Musharraf.

America was instrumental in drafting the NRO (National
Reconciliation Ordinance 2007) and bringing Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif back into the mainstream politics. Probably America was thinking that way Pakistan would have a government that will be more credible and stable. Unfortunately, it did not turn out that way and Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif have become now a
liability. Both had their own personal agendas so there was no national consensus on the real issues facing Pakistan, hence no effective government and no stability. In fact, Pakistan has become more unstable then it was before the election.

To make its previous decision work America is going to throw its full weight behind the present government. That would be the carrot but at a price. Top US military, intelligence and government leaders in Bush Administration have already shown their annoyance and dissatisfaction on the failure of Pakistan to deal with Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters in FATA and border areas with Afghanistan. Present government has been doing a lot of propaganda on their peace talks with Taliban and tribal leaders in FATA area giving the impression that these efforts are becoming successful. America wants some decisive action, and favors military force. America will give some political space and time may be six months to a year to this new government to be effective, try his peace talk option and show some results. Bush is under pressure at home to show some success in fighting terrorism in Afghanistan. American military leaders have convinced Bush Administration that Pakistan is not doing enough to stop Taliban and Al Qaeda’s fighters attacking from Pakistani areas. Hence, pressure on Mr. Gilani.

To show their support, America is going to offer besides political support economic and military aid during Prime Minister’s visit.

America is not interested in the domestic affairs of Pakistan like reinstatement of judges which is life and death issue for Nawaz Sharif and to some extent Asif Zardari, but would like to see a government who have control over the domestic problems including economy, domestic terrorism and other political issues.

Filed Under: Yousuf Raza Gillani Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,